USJ-R Jaguars end losing slump with rout of USPF Panthers in battle of lowly teams

CEBU CITY – The University of San Jose-Recoletos snapped out of its losing slump with an 86-60 rout of the University of Southern Philippines Foundation in the 15th Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) men's basketball tournament on Saturday at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Jaguars did not take long to assert themselves over the lowly Panthers as they raced to an early 23-5 lead after the opening period on the way to cruising to just their second victory in six outings.

The Panthers on the other hand, remained winless in six games.

RJ Dinolan flirted with a double-double, scoring 15 points and nine rebounds laced with three steals and two assists.

The Panthers scored the game's first basket before the Jaguars went on a 22-3 tear that spanned the first and second quarters to erect a 27-5 lead.

The Panthers though, clawed back and trimmed the deficit to 12 after two free-throws and a transition deuce from Wisdom Ceniza.

But the Jaguars nipped the uprising in the bud with a triple from Peromingan and two quick baskets from Dinolan that pushed the lead back to 62-43 heading to the last canto.

The Panthers got 15 from Brantford Borces and 10 from Ceniza.

The shocker of the day though, came in the juniors competition as the Cebu Institute of Technology-University Wildkittens pulled the rug from under previously unbeaten University of San Carlos Baby Warriors, 55-50.

CIT-U was in control for most of the way until USC came roaring back in the fourth.

With the game tied at 50-all, CIT-U guard Jasper Berezo found an opening and drove in, looping in a lay-up over the arms of USC behemoth Briedyn Smith for a 52-50 lead.

After USC failed to cash in on the other end, Berezo and Kirk Suson iced the win with their respective free-throws.

Berezo had a masterful game of 23 points, five assists, and six steals to help the Wildkittens improved to 2-4, while pulling USC down at 4-1.

In other junior results, the University of Cebu Baby Webmasters won their fifth game in seven tries with a 66-65 squeaker over the Cebu Eastern College Dragons.

The University of the Visayas Baby Lancers also trounced the USPF Baby Panthers, 87-65, behind the 20 points and 18 boards of talented forward Jancork Cabahug.